Rescued feral pigeon Mo is the heart of the series In Your Hands, pictured as a baby at the time of his rescue and also an adult bird. This series began when I had a mishap working on the original series of post-it pigeons. I applied a cold wax finish to my completed pieces, and they turned blotchy. Not knowing that was temporary, I freaked out.
I texted Mo’s adoptive human mom, Jenna, because she’s the kind of friend you want when your brain goes sideways about some dumb thing you might have done. If the stains didn’t resolve, she suggested going with them might be a good idea. The idea immediately appealed to me, but I didn’t want it for the first post-it series. I’m grateful the wax dried smoothly.
I’m also glad for the unexpected stains because they gave rise to the idea of creating a separate series on distressed paper. It seemed right for our feral pigeon friends, who go through so much to make even the sparest living in urban and suburban environments, all the while subject to everything from indifference to cruel abuse. Too many people think of feral pigeons as throw-away birds, if they think of them at all.
And it so happens that a bird who perfectly embodies this harsh truth lives in Jenna’s flock.
Mo.
A pest control company threw Mo from a rooftop, still in his nest, when he was only one week old. Nobody tells his story better than Jenna so I asked to share this video. Meet Mo!
In Your Hands is a series of six graphite portraits of rescued feral pigeons drawn on 3-inch x 3-inch, ink-stained, crumpled white post-it notes.
Contact me with questions or interest.
